Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 30: Accusing the Govt of playing petty politics even over the most sensitive issue of security and safety of opposition leaders of the erstwhile J&K State, NPP chairman and former minister Harsh Dev Singh said that those highlighting the omissions and commissions of the ruling dispensation were being divested of their security as a measure of political vendetta.
He said that earlier the leaders of opposition despite their nationalistic credentials had been placed under house arrest for nearly two months in Jammu region as well without citing any cogent and justifiable reason for their preventive detention. And now, they had been cherry picked for withdrawal of security which continued to be provided to the blue eyed political activists and workers of the ruling party, he added.
Singh regretted that it was the political affiliations rather than threat perception which formed the basis for security categorization of political persons in J&K and urged for direct intervention of the President of India in view of gravity of matter. Harsh Dev claimed that while the petty workers of BJP had been provided vehicles and security escorts by the Govt, the top most leaders and heads of recognized political parties of J&K had been declined the much needed security. He said that earlier on the eve of BDC elections, the Govt kept the Jammu based leaders in custody thus preventing them from participating in the said elections. And now, when the Lt Governor had hinted at early Assembly elections in the State, the said opposition leaders had been divested of security.
NPP leader said that the step appeared to have been taken by security authorities of J&K on the dictates of BJP so as to restrict the movement of opposition leaders and thereby restrain them from indulging in political activity.
Seeking the indulgence of the President of India, Singh said that due cognizance needed to be taken of the brazen defiance of norms and set protocols in provision of security by a biased administration in J&K which showed contempt for opposition only to please their political bosses. District president Jammu, Surinder Chouhan also accompanied.
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